News Post

Defending the Pick-and-Roll in NBA 2k8

04:45 PM - April 12, 2008 by RaychelSnr

Jeremy Hartman checks in on this Saturday with a look at defending the tough pick-and-roll in NBA 2k8.

Quote:


	"Last week we discussed utilizing the pick-and-roll to your advantage while playing NBA 2K8. The pick-and-roll can be used in NBA 2K8 almost to the point of being called �cheesy� by your opponents. With that in mind, the question now becomes, �How do you defend the play?� This week, we will attempt to answer that question. "

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Member Comments

# 1 Sovartus @ 04/20/08 02:29 PM

What I have learned about defending the pick and roll is that the defensive AI doesn't really have a clue. The best method for me has been recognizing it coming (like calling out pick in real life) and switching to the defender guarding the man setting the pick. Now the defender guarding the ball handler is controlled by AI and does a better job of fighting through or recovering. This way the guy rolling is guarded and help defense can be your last line of defense against the drive. You can do that by icon switching to a shot blocker to help cut off the lane.

The biggest issue I have noticed with 2K's defensive AI isn't actually the pick and roll, it's that the defenders involved become confused so easily. A ball handler can simply dribble between a teammate and his defender to draw a temporary double team, leaving the teammate open for a quick shot. Once again, you have to use the early switch method to prevent it.

I agree, this is something that 2K must do a much better job with next year.

# 2 KBs Magic @ 05/25/08 03:35 PM

Honestly i feel they made the game the way it is so we can play if the pick and roll wasn't like it is we would be watching the game instead of playing it.
I'm in a league in Washington DC and pick and roll is least of worrys, even with the double team confusion, like if u need pointers on that I don't have any problem telling u how to stop it, I know the pick & roll is all about timing
my friends hate to do it on me becuz 9 out 11 times i'm gonna hit it or steal the ball

# 3 edubbs @ 05/25/08 04:28 PM

The pick and roll game needs to be overhauled for NBA2K9. The execution of the pick and roll is waaay off in this game. Not to mention, you rarely see pick and pops from the AI.

No game to date has implemented the pick and roll correctly in a sim. With the the 2k series they REALLY need to iron out the court spacing/player to court size ratio issues before getting the execution part right.

Right now, there just does not 'seem' to be enough room on the court (spacing wise) to implement better pick and rolls in the game.

Hopefully the Devs spent ALOT of time revamping this play because, it's a staple of soo many team's offenses. The AI needs to utilize variations of the pick and roll MUCH MORE in NBA2K9.

Teams like the Suns, Hornets, Cavs, Spurs, etc. should be programmed to run some variation of the pick and roll 90% of the time when on offense.

VC really needs to separate the teams that use the pick and roll almost exclusively in their half court sets, when doing the playbooks for 2k9.

Watching this year's playoffs made me realise that the Hornets and Suns in particular, do not run nothing but the pick and roll.

Both of these team's offenses consist of CP3 and Nash running multiple pick and rolls almost everytime down court.

It would be nice to see their team's offensive playstyles reflected better in 2k9.

Maybe, a new team slider called 'utilizes pick and roll' would help also.

# 4 elprez98 @ 05/26/08 02:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KBs Magic


	Honestly i feel they made the game the way it is so we can play if the pick and roll wasn't like it is we would be watching the game instead of playing it. I'm in a league in Washington DC and pick and roll is least of worrys, even with the double team confusion, like if u need pointers on that I don't have any problem telling u how to stop it, I know the pick & roll is all about timing my friends hate to do it on me becuz 9 out 11 times i'm gonna hit it or steal the ball

He's correct. The issue is making sure you don't commit too early on defense. The better pick and rollers will wait until you are not in passing lane, which usually occurs after the pick has been set and the offensive player starts to cut to the basket. If you frustrate your opponent with a few steals or deflections in a row, they will temporarily abandon the technique.

# 5 cardinalbird5 @ 05/28/08 10:51 AM

Everytime I see it coming I double team. I always double ball screens, offline or online. I force the ball out of the hands of whoever is trying to run off the screen. You just have to make sure you rotate correctly and close out on the shooters. Once they pass out of the double team you need to close out, then the rest of your defense should find a man to recover in time.

# 6 jellyb3lly @ 06/01/08 04:41 AM

pick and roll is fine, it's the passing physics of the game that is flawed. this is most noticeable if you set a pick down low near the side of the basket; it's almost impossible to pick off the pass. the ball goes through defenders's hands and straight into the intended receiver of the pass. what really annoys me is the bounce lead pass which travels at a snail's pace, and yet none of the defenders can pick it off and ends up in the teammate's hands. there needs to be A LOT more deflections in the game, not just player initiated deflections, but those initiated by the ai.

# 7 cardinalbird5 @ 06/01/08 03:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joker


	ya the only problem with that is as soon as the pick n roll is coming , you have your PG and PF doubling the ball handler but for some reason the SF or whoever is next to the ball handler will also sneak in there and it leaves side open. IF only your PG and your PF/C would double it would be great.

Yeah I hate how they rotate automatically for, but you have to be ready to switch to your SF or SG. The game is ******** in the sense once you double the ball screen, leaving the PF open, they try to rotate your wing defenders to guard the PF, leaving one wing player open. You have to manually adjust though.

This is how you double the ball screen to perfection in real life:

It is a little easier to do in college, but I still do it in both games.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QycCLSsgcaQ

# 8 cardinalbird5 @ 06/02/08 10:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joker


	so your manually picking the defender SF or wing defender or do you ICON SWITCH ? I think just quickly pressing change player button is best and just run around and see the open guy and cover him ?

If they are calling a pick and roll with their PF and you double then, 90% of thime it is your SG or SF defender that will be rotating to guard the PF EVERY time. I am always ready to Icon switch to one of them. Sometimes it may be different, but you just have to be ready. It is really effective if you get good at it, but it takes awhile to adjust. It is not always going to be the same every time, so you just have to react to each situation as best as you can. Once you recover to that first wing man though and lock down on him, everyone else should pick up their men and have recovered by then.

# 9 retrojordanxvii @ 06/15/08 08:09 PM

go to Hoopsgaming there is a bunch of ways to stop the pick and roll

ill tell you want to you should

Either Double when you see the pick coming and trying to pick off the pass and the more effective way is

Either Call out a 2-3zone when you see the picker rolling this clogs up the lane with up to 4ppl in the lane and usaully it will deflect off the pickers hands

# 10 Cwb917 @ 06/15/08 08:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by retrojordanxvii


	go to Hoopsgaming there is a bunch of ways to stop the pick and roll ill tell you want to you should Either Double when you see the pick coming and trying to pick off the pass and the more effective way is Either Call out a 2-3zone when you see the picker rolling this clogs up the lane with up to 4ppl in the lane and usaully it will deflect off the pickers hands

Are you making a commision for spamming that hoopsgaming sites at multiple other forums?

# 11 retrojordanxvii @ 06/15/08 08:34 PM

another way to contain the pick and roll is if you have a very good shot blocker ala yao ming,camby,howard

you can like sag like just right below the restricted area then when the guy passes to the picker who is rolling switch off your big man in the restricted area and if your online sliders are set right the cpu will either alter or block the shot

# 12 DC @ 06/16/08 12:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by retrojordanxvii


	Either Call out a 2-3zone when you see the picker rolling this clogs up the lane with up to 4ppl in the lane and usaully it will deflect off the pickers hands

LOL @ Switching up your defense mid play. Come on with this foolishness man.

# 13 retrojordanxvii @ 06/16/08 02:36 AM

^^ seriously it clogs up the lane if your in man then when you see the pick and roll switch to a 2-3zone when you see the guy rolling it will clog up the lane

because of the way the 2-3zone is programmed it did the same thing in 2k7 as in 2k8 where everybody will come into the point then they good to their spots on the 2-3zone so if you get everybody in the paint right when the person is rolling it will clog up the lane giving your cpu a great chance to steal the pass or the pass will deflect off the roller its not silly its clever think outside the box ppl and you will see so many things open up in ur game

# 14 DC @ 06/16/08 08:06 AM

LOL Thats not my point. I know how a zone offense operates. I am referring to the cheesy nature of switching your offense MID play. Shot clock on 13 secs; and THEN you decide to switch from man to zone?

Who does that? I guess you do.

Let me leave you alone man

# 15 -DaVe- @ 06/16/08 01:00 PM

Pick and Roll is easy to stop. What I do is when I see the pick coming, I (defender of the ball handler) move away from the picker. Like I go around him . After I do that I call a double team with the PF or C ( who ever is guarding the picker) . The Pick and Roll stops immediately because the player with the ball is being doubled. During that double team animation you switch to a guy to try to pick off the pass..

Tried this on a Suns pick and roll abuser and he executed like maybe 1 pick and roll the whole gm.. lol

DC I've read alot of your posts and I can say you're probably the biggest whiner/ baby on this board....
Everything is cheese to you ...

# 16 ehh @ 06/16/08 03:12 PM

The CPU cannot defend it, in NBA or CH2k8.

I'm not gonna lie, if I was ever in a dicey spot and needed a bucket I was going right to the pick-n-roll for a damn near guaranteed bucket.

I didn't spend much time playing either game against another human so I can't comment on that.

# 17 DC @ 06/16/08 04:11 PM

I don't even Pick N Roll for a layup; Dunk. I don't feel right

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